Slam-door train

A slam-door train are diesel multiple units (DMUs) or electric multiple units (EMUs) that have doors that can be opened and closed by passengers, these trains were made before automatic door trains were made.

They're called slam-door trains because of the noise they made by the passengers slamming the doors shut when the train was about to leave.

Some slam-door trains (such as the British Rail Mark 3) had doors that could only be opened from the outside, so passengers had to lean out of the window to reach the outside door handle.

In 2005, all slam-door trains were replaced with trains with automatic operated doors. The last slam-door train was withdrawn by South Eastern Trains in December 2005.SET runs last slammer The Railway Magazine issue 1256 December 2005 page 64

 Preservation 
South West Trains ran two slam-door  '3-CIG' (Class 421) trains on the Lymington branch line in Hampshire until 22 May 2010.  These trains had central locking installed so that they couldn't be opened, they ran the service as a 'heritage line'.

Other slam door trains are at different museums or are privately owned.

Another problem is that many slam-door trains contain asbestos. This was removed from some of the trains when they were improved in the 1980s, but many slam-door trains were incinerated to destroy the asbestos. Preserved trains that have asbestos in them have to have it removed or it has to be treated.

 List of slam-door trains 

British Rail Class 302
British Rail Class 304
British Rail Class 305
British Rail Class 307
British Rail Class 308
British Rail Class 309

British Rail Class 310
British Rail Class 312
British Rail Class 415 (4EPB)
British Rail Class 421 (4CIG)
British Rail Class 411 (4CEP)
British Rail Class 423 (4VEP)

 Gallery 

References

Category:United Kingdom rolling stock